Click-to-add, jot-it-down, and add banner

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus is provided that allows a user to automatically add content, such as an event, to a container, such as, a calendar without directly accessing the container. Second and third preferred embodiments are also provided.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/415,720, filed Nov. 12, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,627,830 whichclaims priority from PCT/US00/30099, filed Oct. 31, 2000, the entiretyof which is herein incorporated by this reference thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to gathering information and putting theinformation into associated containers. More particularly, the presentinvention relates to gathering information from an information source,such as, for example, a Web page, and storing the information in anassociated online container, such as, for example, an online calendar,for the convenience of an end-user.

2. Description of the Prior Art

As more and more people use the Internet to attain information relevantto their lives, more Internet tools and utilities are created for suchusers to help them be better organized. More specifically, Web featuresof Web products have been created that link with other features of Webproducts. For example, the generic online address book applicationoperates in this fashion. To wit, a user opens an email letter sent tohim or her within a particular email application. At that point, theuser is provided the opportunity to add the sender's email address tothat application's online address book that belongs to the user.

Yahoo! Inc., (Yahoo!) has an online package of applications comprising,for example, a calendar and a bookmarking application. A user can enterevent dates and appointments in the calendar, and can enter links toparticular Web pages in Yahoo! Bookmarks.

Similarly, 1calendar.com provides an application that calendar-enables auser's events and contact listings. A user can add events or contacts tohis or her calendar/addressbook with a single click. 1calendar teachesencoding the required data once, and 1calendar translates it into therequired code for each user's favorite application.

L. A. Lisle; S. L. Martin, and J. M. Mullaly, Data processing system forautomatic storage of objects of an object type within a logicalcontainment system and method therefor, U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,394 (Aug.15, 2000) discloses a data processing system, software program andmethod that effectively and intuitively display a storage space of adata processing system to an end-user to allow the end-user to create afiling system which has an easily usable interface. In implementing thismethodology, the user is allowed to simply request that all objectswithin an entire file system of a data processing system be placed in alogical container. A user sets the parameters for defining the desiredcharacteristics of each of the objects stored within the logicalcontainer. Thus, a user is able to organize representations of desiredobjects in various storage locations without requiring extra steps by auser or excess memory. Furthermore, the contents of a logical containerare dynamically updated in real-time to ensure that the filedinformation is current and accurate. The ability of a user to modify thecontainment settings and to have such modifications immediatelyreflected in the logical container rendered on a display device allows auser great flexibility in obtaining a desired graphical user interface.

All of the prior art to date is limited by a specific systemenvironment. For example, Yahoo!'s linkages are all performed within,that is, are limited by, the Yahoo! Community. 1calendar is limited byWeb calendars.

It would be advantageous to advance the level of and improve onlineservices provided on the Web by providing functionality on the Web thatallows a user to gather content from one Web information source, suchas, for example, a Web page, and add the information to any onlinecontainer of a corresponding type, such as, for example, a calendar, anaddress book, a shopping list, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method and apparatus is provided that allows a user to automaticallyadd content, such as an event, to a container, such as, a calendar witha single mouse click, and without directly accessing the container. In asecond embodiment, the user opens a dialog box to automatically addpersonalized information, such as an appointment, to the container, suchas the calendar, without entering the calendar application. In a thirdembodiment, an advertisement banner having an associated entity, suchas, for example, an electronic coupon, scrolls horizontally across a Webpage, and when the user clicks on the entity on the banner, a copy ofthe entity is placed in the user's associated container, such as, forexample, a shopping list, without the user having to click to thecontainer's site.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram from a user's perspective, according to theinvention;

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b are screen prints of the tool, according to apreferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a screen print of an appointment corresponding to entries inthe tool in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, according to the invention; and

FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram of the use of the Jot-it-Down embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A method and apparatus is provided that allows a user to automaticallyadd content, such as an event, to a container, such as, a calendar witha single mouse click, and without directly accessing the container. In asecond embodiment, the user opens a dialog box to automatically addpersonalized information, such as an appointment, to the container, suchas the calendar, without entering the calendar application. In a thirdembodiment, an advertisement banner having an associated entity, suchas, for example, an electronic coupon, scrolls horizontally across a Webpage, and when the user clicks on the entity on the banner, a copy ofthe entity is placed in the user's associated container, such as, forexample, a shopping list, without the user having to click to thecontainer's site.

It is noted herein that in the appropriate context, the terms, link,insert, and logo are used interchangeably.

In the first preferred embodiment, a click-to-add invention makes iteasy for channels, brands, partners, and individuals to integrate with ageneric container application, such as, for example, a calendarapplication. From a user's perspective, the click-to-add inventiontaught herein allows the user to easily, quickly, and without disruptionadd content information, such as, for example, dates and events fromWorld Wide Web (Web) sites to the user's container, such as, forexample, a calendar. From channels', brands', and partners'perspectives, the invention herein is a valuable promotional tool. Theinvention makes channel, brand, partner, and an individual's contentmore relevant to the user, and encourages traffic to be driven ordirected from the container application to the channel's, brand's,partner's, and individual's respective Web sites.

FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of an implementation from a user'sperspective, according to the invention. In one preferred embodiment, apartner has placed a click-to-add link or insert beside an event on apage on their Web site. At some later point in time, a user clicks onthe event (1), and the event is added to the user's personal calendar. Asmall success message (2) is displayed subsequently and provides theuser an option to link to the personal calendar, from wherein the usercan open the added event (3). A link back to the partner's site from theadded event is provided according to the invention, and is shown in themagnified image.

It is noted that in the preferred embodiment, channels, brands,partners, and individuals can add text, images, or hyperlinks but are byno means limited to these common programming objects. Specifically, inone embodiment, a More Info section is suggested as a conventional placewithin which to add the programming objects cited herein above.

EXAMPLE 1

Again, referring to FIG. 1, a user clicks on a click-to-add insert (1).The event is added to the user's calendar and a small success messagepops up in the upper left hand corner of an election guide page (2). Theuser stays within the election guide page, but has the option to go tothe calendar. When the user chooses to go to the calendar, the user seesthe event, as well as a link, such as in the More Info section, thatserves the purpose of driving or directing the user back into thecontent, i.e. the election guide page.

It is noted that implementing the click-to-add invention claimed hereinon a Web site is easy, and comprises four main steps. The four steps arerequesting a click-to-add partner identifier (ID) from an appropriateaccount manager; going to a proprietary Web site to access a tool forcreating an insert, also referred to herein as a link, when creating onelink at a time; filling in the fields of the tool; and publishing thelink, or the insert. For producing a relatively large quantity of linksat a time, an alternative embodiment is taught herein below.

In the preferred embodiment, the ID is used to identify and track theeffectiveness of click-to-add promotions.

In the preferred embodiment, the tool provides an option to create linksfor Web pages that are not proprietary Web pages, i.e. that are businesspartners' Web pages, and the tool provides an option to create links forproprietary Web pages, such as, for example, America OnLine Web pages.

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b are screen prints of the tool, according to apreferred embodiment of the invention. The first category of fieldscomprises a click-to-add ID 201 and a choice of two options: fullservice 202 or link only 203. The full service option 202 allows theuser to enter more detailed content information, while the link onlyoption 203 only allows the user to enter link information. Following isa second category of information, comprising the various entry fields:title 204; date 205; time 206; untimed event 207; and duration 208.Following is a third category of information, comprising the main HTMLblock: the image source field 209 which is for a full, published enteredURL and wherein referenced images must be 50×50 pixels; an eventdescription field 210; an entry field for the text for a first link 211;an entry field for the source URL of the first link 212; an entry fieldfor the text for a second link 213; and an entry field for the sourceURL of the second link 214. Following is a fourth category comprising aninitiator, specifically, a click-to-add link button 215, for publishingthe insert, or URL, according to the invention. Following is a fifthcategory comprising an output text field 216, specifically showing theresulting URL according to the invention. Herein below is a moredetailed description of a preferred embodiment the tool.

Detail Description of Fields of an Implementation of a PreferredEmbodiment of the Tool.

Title. Names the title of an associated event. It is preferred to beunique and descriptive to avoid being out of context the next time aviewer reads or sees it. This is a required field. Example: 8 p.m. ET:Season Finale of “XXXXX,” on XYZ.

Time. It is noted that while in the preferred embodiment, times are nottranslated for different time zones, the functionality to translate fordifferent time zones is an improvement within the scope of theinvention. If an event is national, or is expected to be viewed indifferent time zones at the same time, for example, the World Seriesgame airing, the event is marked as an untimed event. The associatedtime and time zones are added to the title field. For example, the titlefield could read, Live World Series game airing at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.This is not a required field.

Date. The event is added to users' calendars on this date. This is arequired field.

Duration. Add the duration in this field if the duration of the event isknown. If the duration is not known, this field is left blank.

Event Description. Text description of the event is added here.

Image. A selected image on a Web site or any other image that can bereferenced on the appointment page is added here. The image is 50×50pixels and is published somewhere on the Web site where it going to stayfor some time to avoid users referencing broken images on anappointments page, for example.

Create Links. The first link field is for containing a link to a pagewhere a user can find more useful or additional information. The secondlink field comprises text that will be hyper-linked to this useful pagewith more or additional information. It is preferred that the link bedescriptive of the page to which it links.

Submit, Test, and Output. After all of the desired information isentered, the information is submitted. An “Add this to My Calendar” linkis displayed. A user can click on this link to preview and test how thelink works. The process is iterative. That is, if the link does notdisplay all of the information in an appointment as intended, thenreturn to the tool and edit the information, resubmit once again, andretest the link. When the test is satisfactory, the HTML code that isdisplayed in an Output field is ready for publishing on the Web site.

EXAMPLE 2

It is noted that in the preferred embodiment, fields in the tool used tocreate the links and inserts correspond simply to fields in thecontainer. For example, fields in a click-to-add link correspond simplyto fields in an appointment.

FIG. 3 is a screen print of an appointment information pagecorresponding to entries in the tool in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, according toan implementation of a preferred embodiment of the invention. A firstsection shows corresponding fields Title 304, Date 205, Time 206,Duration 208, and, the first link, Click Here for More Info 311. Theappointment page allows a wide variety of other functionality andoptions, such as, for example, a Tell a Friend section wherein a usercan type in email addresses or screen names in a box 320.

Publishing the Insert or Link.

The preferred embodiment allows for a wide variety of means forpublishing the insert or link. Listed below are suggested examples, butthe invention is by no means limited to such suggested examples:

-   -   Give the link or insert to the webmaster of the Web page        containing the content;    -   Highlight the HTML code in the Output field, copy it, and give        the copied HTML code to the webmaster to publish on the Web        site; and    -   Have users embed the HTML code in the Web page as follows:        -   Highlight the HTML code in the Output field;        -   Copy the HTML code;        -   Paste the insert or link beside or underneath a promotion            for an event on the user's HTML page; and        -   Publish the page on the Web site, and be ready to have            end-users add the event to their calendars.            An Important Note About Inserting.

In the preferred embodiment, when placing links or inserts on a channel,brand, or partner page, the links or inserts are required to be faithfulto the proprietor's brand. Following in Table A is an example displayingtwo options for placing click-to-add inserts behind a calendar logo. Itis appreciated that the example is by no means limited to the containerbeing a calendar.

TABLE A Option A: Option B: Create a Key and Single Skip the Key, CreateCalendar Logos All-in-One Logo/Links The key explains what the Thebutton itself explains single logos are and what they do. the featureand displays the Calendar logo. Example of the Key: Example of theButton: Add these appointments to My

 Add this to My Calendar ™ Calendar ™ by clicking the

Place this beside or under This should appear at the top or events to beadded bottom of any page that to Calendars. carries the Calendar button.Place the Calendar buttons (that the key describes) beside or underevents to be added to Calendars. The button would look like this.

It is noted that in an implementation of a preferred embodiment, theFull Service option available in the click-to-add (CTA) tool creates asmall chunk of HTML that includes the CTA link, as well as the MyCalendar logo.

Technical Guidelines for Producing Dynamic Container-Ready Links.

In the preferred embodiment, if a lot of published links or inserts aredesired on a particular Web site that may be impractical to create withthe publishing tool cited herein above, the following information isgiven to a software engineer to use to create the claimed links orinserts for any and every event on the Web site in an automatic fashion.

It is noted that the project described herein is by no means limited tothe click-to-add embodiment, but can be applied in a much broadercontext without deviating from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Description of Click-to-Add Projects.

The channel, brand, partner, or individual must pass URLs to acontainer, such as, a calendar in order to allow users to access thecontent, such as, for example, scheduling appointments in personalcalendars. No matter how these URLs are generated on a page, they mustbe constructed in a particular manner, described herein below in thesection entitled, Parameters for Created URLs.

Starting a Click-to-Add Project.

The preferred embodiment comprises the steps herein below:

-   -   Design a Click-to-Add program, such as where inserts appear on        the Web site, what information they will contain, and the like;    -   Request a partner id number;    -   If added appointments are of a specific type exclusively, ask        for a type ID number; and    -   Follow the parameters according to predetermined construction,        such as those within this document, to create the links or        inserts on the Web site.        Parameters for Created URLs.

In the preferred embodiment, the claimed URLs, such as, for example, theCTA URLs must conform to a specific construction in order for the datatherein to pass properly to the intended containers, such as, forexample, personal calendars. Total character length of the URLs shouldnot exceed 1000 characters. URLs greater in length may be truncated.

A list of required URL elements in an implementation of a preferredembodiment are as follows in Table B.

TABLE B 1. DNS Root: http://calendar.aol.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+XA?_W=CTA; 2. Partner ID: _ID=n, wherein n is aspecific identification number. It is noted that if these links are tobe published on Rainman pages, then n must be preceded by 0. That is,the parameter is required to read, _ID=0n, wherein n is the partneridentification number given. Otherwise, if the links are going to besimply on HTML pages, then do not precede the partner ID number with 0;3. Date: _D=MM/DD/YYYY, wherein if month or day is a single digit,precede with a zero; 4. Time: Use either a or b herein below:a._H=HH&_M=MM, if the event takes place at a specific time, or b._H=NT,if the event does not occur at a specific time during the day, or if thetime of day is put in the title as text; 5. Event Type: _ET=<eventtype>; 6. Title: _T=<text>, wherein up to 60 characters is recommended,and the entire URL must be equal to or less than 1000 characters; 7.Information: _I=<text>, wherein up to 525 characters recommended. It isimportant that the information goes last, so that if the URL is over1000 characters, then something in the information will be cut shortrather than a piece of the URL that is actually essential for the linkto work. Optional Fields 8. Duration Hour: _DH=; and 9. Duration Minute:_DM=;

It is noted that the URLs are constructed using these items, and thateach should be separated by an “&”. See example herein below. The URLsshould be constructed in the order shown above, each current oneappended to the last.

The following is also noted:

1. Do not put targets in URLs; 2. Certain characters do not work inURLs. For instance, a URL cannot contain spaces. Substitutes must beused for these types of characters. Following is a sample list ofsuggested substitutes. Spaces %20 or + Colons %3A Commas %2C # %23Semicolon %3B $ %24 % %25 ! %21 & %26 ( %28 ) %29 ? %3F “ %22 < %3C >%3E Line Break %20 (See next section, Section 4.) 3. The character %ODoccurs when line breaks are escaped in links. This character breaks CTAlinks, therefore, it is recommended to avoid this character in links.OPTIONAL: Allowing Users to Generate Some of the Information for CTALinks.

In another preferred embodiment, partners choose to allow users togenerate some of the information created in the links and inserts, suchas, for example, the click-to-add links.

While allowing users to generate some of the information in the link isan exciting application of invention, such as, for example, theclick-to-add embodiment, there is nevertheless an important item withwhich to be careful. That is, when users insert line breaks into afield, such as, for example, an Event Description or any other field,most scripts will transform the line break into a default character inthe resulting URL. The default character typically is % OD.

The % OD character breaks links, such as, for example, the claimedclick-to-add links. Therefore, when implementing the interactive CTAfeature comprising the functionality to incorporate user input, eitherthe user is prohibited to enter line breaks in the fields via, forexample, a pop-up that reminds the user to remove line breaks, or byoverriding the % OD character with some other character or set ofcharacters in the resulting CTA link, such as, for example, %20, whichis a space.

More on Programming Information into Added Appointments.

In the preferred embodiment, regular text or HTML text can be placedinto a Notes field of the claimed URL, following substitution rules,such as, for example, those cited herein above. Following is an exampleof guidelines for an implementation of a preferred embodiment.

-   -   Plain or HTML text information is displayed in a More Info field        just below the title on added appointments. HTML text can        include links back to the Web site. Referenced images are no        larger than 50×50 pixels in size. An example of such HTML text        is provided in a sample URL herein below;    -   The More Info field is restricted to 60 pixels in height and 265        pixels in width;    -   HTML characters, such as, for example, <and > should be escaped        in the URL according to the characters cited herein above; and    -   All <open> commands must be </closed>, except for <br>, <img        src>, and <p>. Any <open> commands that are not closed will        cause the URL to be truncated just before the unclosed <open>        command.        Example of Created URL.

Herein below in Table B is a sample URL according to the invention, andconstructed with the following information embedded in it.

TABLE B Event Details Title: One Wild and Crazy Netscape Event Date:12/31/00 Time: 11:30pm Duration: 1 hour Partner ID Number: 15 MoreInformation Details Image:http://home.netscape.com/images/nc_ha_AIM30.gif Text for eventdescription: This is going to be one wild and crazy Netscape event. Youwill not want to miss it! Text for a link: Click here for more Netscapeinformation. Link back to partner site: http://www.netscape.com\ SampleURL Following is the URL created by inputting the above eventinformation into the claimed tool: http://calendar.aol.com/cqi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+XA?_W=CTA&_ET=0&_ID=15&_D=12/31/2000&_H=23&_M=30&_DH=1&_DM=00&_T=One+Wild+and+Crazy+Event&_I=%3Ctable+border%3D0%3E%3Ctr+valign%3Dtop%3E%3Ctd%3E%3Cimg+src%3Dhttp%3A//home.netscape.com/images/nc_ha_AIM30.gif+height%3D50+width%3D50+alt%3D%22%22%3E%3C/td%3E%3Ctd%3E%3Cfont+size%3D1+face%3DArial%3EThis+is+going+to+be+one+wild+and+crazy+Netscape+event.++You+will+not+want+to+miss+it%21%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Ca+href%3Dhttp%3A//www.net-scape.com%3EClick+here+for+more+Netscape+information.%3C/a%3E%3C/font%3E%3C/td%3E%3C/tr%3E%3C/table%3E

Embedded within the URL link herein above is the event information andthe More Information in an HTML format for display in an addedappointment. The HTML tags are escaped in order to pass to the calendarin the URL.

It is noted that the claimed URL herein, as sampled herein above,instead of taking a user away to another Web site or Web page, the URLadds value to a client's product, because from the client's end-user'sperspective, the URL serves to add the client's information into theuser's container.

It is noted that the claimed invention herein provides a way forend-users to collect information of a certain type into the end-users'particular container.

Jot-it-Down.

Jot-it-Down is a second preferred embodiment of the invention.Jot-it-Down behaves as a dynamic click-to-add. That is, the claimed URLis created dynamically.

FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram of the use of the Jot-it-Down embodiment. Auser clicks the Jot-it-Down link from a Web page 400 and a pop up window401 opens. The pop up window comprises input fields (402-405) for theuser to input information. Examples of such input fields are title,date, time, and notes. After the user enters the desired information,including notes, the user then closes the Jot-it-Down pop up window.Shortly thereafter, a success window 406 opens stating that theuser-entered information has been successfully added to the desiredcontainer and providing the user with two options (407 and 408). Thefirst option is the user closes the success window and defaults toremaining at the Web page 400. The second option is from the successwindow, the user links to the container.

An application of the Jot-it-Down (JID) embodiment of the invention is acompany decides what information is put in the pop up JID window. Then,when the employee clicks on the JID link, the predetermined informationby the company is put into the employee's container.

Add Banner.

Add Banner is a third preferred embodiment of the invention. Anadvertisement banner having an associated entity, such as, for example,an electronic coupon scrolls horizontally across a Web page, and whenthe user clicks on the entity on the banner a copy of the entity isplaced in the user's associated container, such as, for example, ashopping list, without the user having to click to the container's site.It is noted that clicking the link on the banner puts the entity in theuser's entity container. From a technical perspective, functionality isadded to Add Banner.

In the preferred embodiment, the Add Banner feature also provides asuccess window the use thereof results in two options for the user. Thefirst option is the user closes the success window and remains on thecurrent Web page. The second option is the user links from the successwindow to the appropriate container.

An example of a container in the Add Banner embodiment of the inventionis a shopping list. In this example, the user's workflow is notdisrupted, because the user has the option to click-to-add a desiredcoupon to the user's shopping list, instead of the user having to linkto the corresponding merchant's Web site.

It is noted that all three significant preferred embodiments of theinvention provide a success indicator, which comprises, but is notlimited to, a first option directing the end-user to a container, and adefault option, wherein the end-user remains at the original informationsource, such as, for example, a Web page.

It is noted that there are four typical types of users:

-   -   Internal partners;    -   external partners;    -   any product; and    -   any individual.

It is noted that the use of the invention claimed herein provides animportant advantage to the user in that it does not disrupt the user'sworkflow.

It is noted that the invention provides a link for the user from thecontainer to the original information source, such as, for example, anoriginal Web page or Web page corresponding to an entity, such as, forexample, a coupon in the Add Banner embodiment.

It is noted that beyond the standard links and logos, a wide variety ofimplementation options of the invention herein is possible as well aspractical.

Accordingly, although the invention has been described in detail withreference to particular preferred embodiments, persons possessingordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains willappreciate that various modifications and enhancements may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the claims that follow.

1. A method for allowing an end-user to add an entity to a storage container, comprising: providing means for displaying on a Web page to said end-user an a scrolling advertisement banner having said entity, wherein said advertisement banner scrolls across said Web page; providing means for said end-user to select said entity from said advertisement banner when said end-user desires to possess said entity, wherein said means for selecting comprises said end-user clicking on said advertisement banner at a corresponding location on said advertisement banner to actuate said storage of said entity; providing means for said end-user to store said entity upon selection of said entity without directly accessing said storage container; wherein said storage container comprises one of a personal calendar and a shopping list, said method further comprising steps of: responsive to said end-user storing an entity comprising an event to a personal calendar, displaying a success indicator on said web page confirming storage of said event to said personal calender, said success indicator including a menu of user options including: edit the event, open the calendar and close the success indicator; and responsive to said end user storing an entity comprising an advertisement to a shopping list, displaying a success indicator on said web page confirming storage of said advertisement to said shopping list, said success indicator including a menu of use options including: open the shopping list and close the success indicator. 